Spiranthes lacera, commonly called the slender ladies'-tresses, is a species of orchid that is native to Eastern North America. It has a widespread range and is found in a variety of open habitats, both natural and disturbed. It produces a spiral of white flowers in the summer.
| Slender ladies'-tresses | |
|---|---|
| |
| S. lacera var. gracilis | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
| Tribe: | Cranichideae |
| Genus: | Spiranthes |
| Species: | S. lacera
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| Binomial name | |
| Spiranthes lacera | |
| |
There are two varieties recognized:[1][2]
- S. lacera var. gracilis - Southern slender ladies' tresses, flowers more densely arranged in spiral, blooming later (late-July through August). Plant hairless and leaves usually absent at flowering.
- S. lacera var. lacera - Northern slender ladies' tresses, flowers more loosely arranged in spiral, blooming earlier (mid-July). Plant hairy and leaves usually present at flowering.
References
edit- ^ http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=242101954 Spiranthes lacera in Flora of North America
- ^ Bentley, Stanley (2000). Native Orchids of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press. pp. 201–203. ISBN 0-8078-4872-7.